TY - JOUR
T1 - Validity of semi-quantitative scale for brain MRI in unilateral cerebral palsy due to periventricular white matter lesions
T2 - Relationship with hand sensorimotor function and structural connectivity
AU - Fiori, Simona
AU - Guzzetta, Andrea
AU - Pannek, Kerstin
AU - Ware, Robert S.
AU - Rossi, Giuseppe
AU - Klingels, Katrijn
AU - Feys, Hilde
AU - Coulthard, Alan
AU - Cioni, Giovanni
AU - Rose, Stephen
AU - Boyd, Roslyn N.
PY - 2015
Y1 - 2015
N2 - Aim To provide first evidence of construct validity of a semi-quantitative scale for brain structural MRI (sqMRI scale) in children with unilateral cerebral palsy (UCP) secondary to periventricular white matter (PWM) lesions, by examining the relationship with hand sensorimotor function and whole brain structural connectivity. Methods Cross-sectional study of 50 children with UCP due to PWM lesions using 3 T (MRI), diffusion MRI and assessment of hand sensorimotor function. We explored the relationship of lobar, hemispheric and global scores on the sqMRI scale, with fractional anisotropy (FA), as a measure of brain white matter microstructure, and with hand sensorimotor measures (Assisting Hand Assessment, AHA; Jebsen-Taylor Test for Hand Function, JTTHF; Melbourne Assessment of Unilateral Upper Limb Function, MUUL; stereognosis; 2-point discrimination). Results Lobar and hemispheric scores on the sqMRI scale contralateral to the clinical side of hemiplegia correlated with sensorimotor paretic hand function measures and FA of a number of brain structural connections, including connections of brain areas involved in motor control (postcentral, precentral and paracentral gyri in the parietal lobe). More severe lesions correlated with lower sensorimotor performance, with the posterior limb of internal capsule score being the strongest contributor to impaired hand function. Conclusion The sqMRI scale demonstrates first evidence of construct validity against impaired motor and sensory function measures and brain structural connectivity in a cohort of children with UCP due to PWM lesions. More severe lesions correlated with poorer paretic hand sensorimotor function and impaired structural connectivity in the hemisphere contralateral to the clinical side of hemiplegia. The quantitative structural MRI scoring may be a useful clinical tool for studying brain structure-function relationships but requires further validation in other populations of CP
AB - Aim To provide first evidence of construct validity of a semi-quantitative scale for brain structural MRI (sqMRI scale) in children with unilateral cerebral palsy (UCP) secondary to periventricular white matter (PWM) lesions, by examining the relationship with hand sensorimotor function and whole brain structural connectivity. Methods Cross-sectional study of 50 children with UCP due to PWM lesions using 3 T (MRI), diffusion MRI and assessment of hand sensorimotor function. We explored the relationship of lobar, hemispheric and global scores on the sqMRI scale, with fractional anisotropy (FA), as a measure of brain white matter microstructure, and with hand sensorimotor measures (Assisting Hand Assessment, AHA; Jebsen-Taylor Test for Hand Function, JTTHF; Melbourne Assessment of Unilateral Upper Limb Function, MUUL; stereognosis; 2-point discrimination). Results Lobar and hemispheric scores on the sqMRI scale contralateral to the clinical side of hemiplegia correlated with sensorimotor paretic hand function measures and FA of a number of brain structural connections, including connections of brain areas involved in motor control (postcentral, precentral and paracentral gyri in the parietal lobe). More severe lesions correlated with lower sensorimotor performance, with the posterior limb of internal capsule score being the strongest contributor to impaired hand function. Conclusion The sqMRI scale demonstrates first evidence of construct validity against impaired motor and sensory function measures and brain structural connectivity in a cohort of children with UCP due to PWM lesions. More severe lesions correlated with poorer paretic hand sensorimotor function and impaired structural connectivity in the hemisphere contralateral to the clinical side of hemiplegia. The quantitative structural MRI scoring may be a useful clinical tool for studying brain structure-function relationships but requires further validation in other populations of CP
KW - Brain structure
KW - Diffusion
KW - HARDI
KW - Magnetic resonance imaging
KW - Sensorimotor function
KW - Unilateral cerebral palsy
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84927135201&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84927135201&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.nicl.2015.04.005
DO - 10.1016/j.nicl.2015.04.005
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84927135201
VL - 8
SP - 104
EP - 109
JO - NeuroImage: Clinical
JF - NeuroImage: Clinical
SN - 2213-1582
ER -